Tiger Tussles at Pinehurst: Woods Opens U.S. Open with a 4-Over 74

Tiger Woods’ quest for a historic fifth U.S. Open title got off to a rocky start on Thursday at Pinehurst No. 2. The legendary golfer carded a 4-over par 74 in the opening round, leaving him nine shots back of the early leader, Patrick Cantlay.

Woods began the day with a promising birdie on the par-5 10th hole, hinting at a potential charge. However, inconsistency with his irons plagued him throughout the round. Despite finding most of the fairways off the tee, he struggled to find greens in regulation, leading to bogeys on six holes.

While his putting helped limit the damage – he sank several key par saves – it wasn’t enough to overcome the uncharacteristic iron play. Woods acknowledged the challenges, but expressed optimism about his physical condition: “I’m definitely getting better physically as the year progresses,” he said in a post-round interview.

This 4-over start puts him in a precarious position. He’ll need a significant improvement on Friday to avoid missing the cut. But Woods is a veteran of countless battles on the course, and Pinehurst No. 2 holds a special place in his history. He finished tied for third in 1999 and runner-up in 2005 at this very course.

Can Tiger channel the magic of his past Pinehurst performances and make a run up the leaderboard? Only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure: golf fans around the world will be glued to their screens, watching to see if the iconic golfer can roar back into contention at the U.S. Open.

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